One or more problems may result when starting large (e.g., “medium voltage”) AC motors via direct connection to a utility power source. For example, a large AC motor may draw four to six times its rated current (known as inrush current) at a low power factor upon startup. This may cause significant transient voltage drops in the network of the utility power source, which may adversely affect other equipment and systems connected thereto. Also, the AC motor may undergo severe thermal and mechanical stress during a direct on-line start, which may shorten the life of the motor and/or limit the number of starts in a given period. Furthermore, during acceleration of a large AC motor, large torque pulsations may occur that can excite system torsional resonances that have been known on at least one occasion to cause a broken motor shaft. To overcome the aforementioned problems, large AC motors may be “soft started” with a variable frequency drive (VFD). A VFD may controllably increase the magnitude and frequency of voltage applied to an AC motor during start-up. The voltage magnitude and frequency may start at very low values and may then increase to the rated voltage of the AC motor and to the frequency of the utility power source (e.g., 60 hertz) as the AC motor reaches its rated speed. However, VFDs used to start large AC motors are typically very large and very expensive, often exceeding the cost of the AC motor. Therefore, a need exists to provide less costly systems, apparatus, and methods for starting large AC motors.